Magnetically activated animated objects are well known in the art. A magnetically activated toy fish in a display device is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,956. This patent describes a marine life display apparatus in which an animated toy fish having a magnet therein is freely suspended in a liquid medium and is caused to move about therein in an effort to simulate the swimming movement of a natural fish. In the display device described in said patent, power-driven magnetic means is disposed below the liquid medium in which the toy fish is freely suspended and causes the fish to follow a continuous pattern of undulating movements through the liquid thus simulating the movements of a natural fish.
Other magnetic toy fish are also known. Most of the heretofore known toy fish include a magnetic means and the fish is freely suspended in a liquid medium disposed in a vessel supported on a base or a panel and a magnetic means is disposed below the supporting base. The magnetic means below the supporting base is rotated by a power source thereby varying the magnetic field generated by the magnet and thus activating the toy fish. However, the movements of the toy fish is limited, usually to vertical and horizontal movements and fail to simulate the movements of natural fish, in all directions and without a continuous pattern.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an animated marine life, such a toy fish and the like, which is capable of simulating the swimming actions of a natural fish in a liquid habitat.
It is another object of this invention to provide a magnetically activated toy fish which can be freely suspended in a liquid medium and which can be magnetically activated to swim freely in said liquid medium, much like a natural fish swims in a water habitat.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a display apparatus comprising a liquid medium in which a magnet-containing inanimate toy fish is suspended, said display apparatus comprising magnetic means capable of varying the movement of the toy fish in all directions thereby causing the toy fish to have the appearance of a natural fish swimming in a liquid habitat.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a display apparatus which simulates an aquarium and which is simple to construct and easy to use for display and aesthetic purposes, in homes, offices and institutions.
The foregoing and other features of this invention will be more readily understood and appreciated from the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form part of this application.